Yeah definitely in his second year of winning majors. After the way he finished 2004, with the 3 majors including the hewitt demolition in new york and the WTF win in Houston, the talk really started to pick up.

Yeah definitely in his second year of winning majors. After the way he finished 2004, with the 3 majors including the hewitt demolition in new york and the WTF win in Houston, the talk really started to pick up.

I thought he was the best player I ever saw at Wimby in 2003. I couldn't tell if he would be consistent after that, but to me it was clear that he had reached the highest level of play ever in that tournament: crazy spin on both wings, which made his groundies both powerful and consistent, superb movement, great defense, great offense.

No, it was earlier than that. People were talking about the possibility after his first Major, Wimbledon 2003, on account of his semi-final performance alone. I myself thought this was the best player I had ever seen, despite having seen him many times before and not felt that.

Seeing a few of his rounds in the 2004 Australian Open convinced me finally the he was indeed the best player I had ever seen and was no fluke. The high and consistent level of his technical ability I had never seen before. At that stage I thought he would win more Majors than Sampras.

By late 2005 there was already certainty. All the fans knew it but the commentators were being P.C. and didn't want to upset retired players. But as I recall, by late 2005 everyone online and everywhere else recognized the skills.

I remember Mcenroe anointing Federer as possibly being the next tennis phenomenon to break through the existing parity in tennis around the beginning of the 2003 USO. This was during the prelude to Sampras' retirement ceremony at the USO and there was discussion of who could possibly replace Sampras as the dominant force in tennis.

You liars. After 2003 Wimbly, I and everyone else thought "this guy is good, he will win multiple majors maybe as many as Agassi or Borg" NOBODY was expecting him to become goat in 2003, get over yourselves.

I thought I'd try and dig up some objective evidence, since that's a lot more reliable than TT posters' recollections. What I found definitely points to the second half of 2004, especially in the run-up to, and immediately after, the US Open. That's when the "could he?" questions relating to Sampras' 14 slams started coming thick and fast:

"After winning his third Grand Slam title of the year, Federer evokes talk of possibly being the greatest player of all time." / "It’s tempting, after watching so thorough a thrashing — the first with two shutout sets in the U.S. men’s championship match since 1884 — to wonder if the self-coached, 23-year-old Swiss might be on his way to becoming the greatest player in history." / "Is Pete Sampras’ record 14 major titles safe?"Steve Wilstein, MSNBC Sports, September 20, 2004

"Not too early to ask if he is on a trajectory to eclipse the game's best players. Pete Sampras, to whom Federer is often compared, holds the men's record, with 14 Grand Slam singles titles."Greg Garber, ESPN, September 13, 2004

Well by 2005 we basically expected him to break all the records, the level of play was insane, so it's definitely earlier than that....the footage posted at 2004 US Open McEnroe already spiting that Fed could be the best ever speaks volumes

Federer was being called the new Sampras before he even beat him at Wimbledon. The racquet, the one handed backhand and being sponsored by Nike accentuated the comparison.

However, it was at 2004 Australian Open when people start to think he could be the GOAT. It was ridiculously early. He only had one slam at that point. He had never been no1 yet, though he was expected to take it at the Australian Open.

EDIT
Searching for the article where Margaret Court says it is too early to call Federer the best ever like a lot of people were doing at the time.

You liars. After 2003 Wimbly, I and everyone else thought "this guy is good, he will win multiple majors maybe as many as Agassi or Borg" NOBODY was expecting him to become goat in 2003, get over yourselves.

Click to expand...

No seriously, after Federer's performance in Wimbledon 2003, a lot of people were saying that was some of the best tennis they had ever seen.

By May of 2004 with only two Majors to his name, people on this very forum were already saying Federer could be the GOAT. I was not a member back then, but I had a look because I was sure some here must have felt as I felt back then. I was right. Pity this forum does not go back as far as 2003.

Check out the link below. Feña14 in post #14 says, "I think that Federer can become greatest of all time". Also, sliceroni in post #31 says, "apparently what we're witnessing is potentially the GOAT".

Here is an article from Drysdale saying Federer is the best he had ever seen.

04/01/2004
Federer had just two slams at this point.

Tennis Week: You beat Rod Laver in the U.S. Open quarterfinals, you watched Pete Sampras' entire career and now you're seeing the most gifted player of this generation in Roger Federer. Who is the best player you've ever seen?

Cliff Drysdale: Federer is the best player I've ever seen play.

Tennis Week: Right now you would say that? If Federer never played again, if he retired tomorrow, you would still say he's the best you've ever seen?

Cliff Drysdale: Yes. I would say that if you put Federer at his best with any other player in history, that I've ever seen, at their best, that Federer would beat them.

Tennis Week: Cliff, that's a big statement. You've seen almost every great champion. That's a big statement.

Cliff Drysdale: It is a big statement. You know, a lot of your readers are going to disagree with me especially since he hasn't been out there very long. But if you ask me to make a definitive statement in that regard and say: "How would Laver have done against him?" Because Laver is the next most well-rounded, complete player I've seen after Federer.

Tennis Week: I thought you would say Sampras.

Cliff Drysdale: No. Because Pete didn't have great ground strokes.

Tennis Week: His forehand was pretty devastating.

Cliff Drysdale: It was good. His running forehand was pretty good. But if he didn't have the serve — if you take the serve away from Pete — he would be relatively naked.

Tennis Week: Federer's game is very strong and exciting in all phases and I'm very impressed with how well he returns and defends as well as his obvious ability to attack.

Cliff Drysdale: His movement, his transition game, his ground strokes, his volley, his serve — Federer is the most complete player and that's why, when you ask me, in my view Federer is the best I've seen.

Tennis Week: So are you of the opinion that the players of today, the depth of the game, the quality of play is superior to any other era of tennis?

Cliff Drysdale: Yes, absolutely. There's no doubt that tennis, the men's game, is better than it's ever been. It's at its best right now. This is an exciting time for tennis and that's another reason I feel so privileged to be in this position watching these players and the game. It's really a very, very exciting time for tennis in my view.

EDIT
Lots of other articles about.
As I said before, as soon as he won the Masters Cup 2003 he was hailed by a lot of people as the Best Player they have ever seen. It was at Wimbledon 2003 he usurped Mcenroe's position as the most talented they had ever seen.

... when davey25 changed his username to federerhoogenbandfan. A long time ago in a TW far far away. There were hints that this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime player. Then SoBad went utterly mental and everyone saw the writing on the wall: The GOAT had arrived.

If you are only looking at the tennis and what he has done last year, you will think that he is better than Pete. Which, maybe, he is. But Pete had the desire to play at the highest level for so many years. That is very difficult, mentally. That in turn is the biggest question for Federer. Can he maintain the high level over six-seven years to break the record of 14 Grand Slams? Will he be able to remain world number one for five-six years in a row?

That is actually the only thing he is yet to prove. But if he continues to play tennis like this, he will definitely break Pete's record. Federer can be the best ever; he has the potential. The only question is whether he has the desire.

... when davey25 changed his username to federerhoogenbandfan. A long time ago in a TW far far away. There were hints that this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime player. Then SoBad went utterly mental and everyone saw the writing on the wall: The GOAT had arrived.